The Harold

The Harold is the most influential long-form structure out there, dreamed up by Del Close and Charna Halpern at iO Theater. It opens with an opening — a word association, a monologue, or a pattern game that digs into the audience's one-word suggestion. From there, the ensemble pulls out themes, characters, and ideas that feed everything to come. Then come three 'beats': three rounds of two or three scenes each that revisit, heighten, and transform what the opening surfaced. Between beats, you'll play group games — short, non-scenic pieces that chase an idea through pattern, music, or movement. The Harold teaches deep listening, thematic exploration, and the joy of connecting scenes that seemed unrelated. It's the training ground for countless teams, and the spark behind most modern long-form.

• Grab a single-word suggestion from the audience.
• Open with a free-form exploration of that suggestion — word association, a monologue, or a pattern game (2-5 minutes).
• Beat 1: play 2-3 scenes sparked by ideas from the opening. End each scene right at its peak.
• Group game: a short, non-scenic piece — often musical or movement-based — inspired by that first beat.
• Beat 2: come back to the scenes or themes from Beat 1 and heighten or transform them. New ideas can branch off too.
• Second group game: another patterned piece that reflects or riffs on the show so far.
• Beat 3: the final return — scenes hit their highest point or find resolution, and the connections between everything snap into focus.
• Wrap when the themes feel complete — don't force a tidy bow.

• Stage space, and a suggestion from the audience.

• Deconstruction: A variation where the show starts with a fully improvised first act, then the beats examine subtext, side characters, and time jumps.
• Mono Scene Harold: All scenes take place in the same location at the same time, exploring different characters within that shared world.
• Movie Harold: The opening scenes establish a film genre, and subsequent beats play with the conventions of that genre.
• Training Wheels Harold: Beginners use a director on the sidelines calling scene starts/edits and providing structural guidance.
• The opening can be organic, pattern-based, monologue-driven, or a living room/party scene.